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According to a Fleet News report there are now 9,300 EV charging locations compared to 8,400 fuel stations – almost 1,000 more public places to charge electric cars than there are fuel stations.

 

In less than a century since Britain’s first fuel station opened – November 1919 at Aldermaston in Berkshire – the number of forecourts has peaked, declined and been overtaken by charging stations designed for battery, not combustion, powered cars.

 

It has happened more than a year before Nissan’s 2016 prediction of August 2020 – a result of the accelerating adoption of EVs amongs UK motorists.

 

Almost 80% of UK petrol stations have closed since 1970, whilst the number of electric vehicle charging locations has increased from a few hundred in 2011 (when the Nissan Leaf went on sale) to more than 9,000 in August 2019.

 

Of these locations, more than 1,600 provide ‘rapid charging’, and can recharge a typical EV battery to around 80% in under an hour.

 

According to Zap-Map, two new rapid charge devices came online every day in the last month. Almost all UK motorway service stations have charging stations installed, the majority of which provide a rapid charge option.

 

Transport for London (tfL) has installed more than 1,000 EV charge points in the last year alone, yet supply of conventional fuel within the capital is becoming scarcer.

 

Central London has nearly half as many petrol stations per car as the Scottish Highlands; only four remain within the congestion-charge zone.

 

One of the country’s oldest forecourts, the Bloomsbury Service Station, which had been in operation since 1926, was closed in 2008.

 

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) welcomed the figures showing the growth in the EV charge point network. A spokesman told Fleet News: “With charging points now outnumbering petrol stations in the UK, we are powering forward on the road to net zero emissions by 2050.

 

“This is happening alongside significant investment we’re already making to support the development of the latest vehicle battery technologies and establishing and strengthening low-carbon supply chains for the long term.”

 

The introduction of the new Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in April 2019, has led to increasing numbers of London drivers looking to zero-emission solutions for their commuter or commercial transport needs.

 

Most electric vehicle owners only need to charge at home however, so the UK government is looking to further support EV adoption, recently announcing a proposal for the installation of charge points for EVs in all new housing.

 

Kalyana Sivagnanam, managing director, Nissan Motor (GB), said: “Many consumers are saying their next car will be electric. That means the industry needs to ensure their desires are met with both the car – how far it can go, what technologies it has – and how it interacts with the world around it – where they can charge and how convenient that is for them.

 

“We’ve moved beyond the early concerns of range anxiety with EVs now exceeding the vast majority of customer’s daily driving needs.

 

“The next challenge is for charging infrastructure to keep pace with the number of EVs on the road, and that the experience of recharging is as enjoyable and effortless as that of all-electric driving.”

 

Since Nissan launched the Leaf in 2010, EV technology has continually improved, with the latest models both affordable and practical for the majority of new car buyers. As a result, the UK is experiencing unprecedented growth in the demand for battery-powered transport.

 

In August 2019, compared to the previous year, demand for battery electric vehicles increased 158.1%, resulting in a 1.4% market share, the highest monthly market share on record.

 

Seán Kemple, director of sales at Close Brothers, said: “2019 may be remembered as the year when electric vehicles went mainstream. While sales are still relatively low in real terms, the speed of growth is accelerating, and it looks like we’re months, not years, from the tipping point.

 

“Consumers are becoming more aware of the benefits of AFVs or an electric vehicle – from environmental protection to lower costs of running a car after the initial outlay – and manufacturers are responding to this demand. The overwhelming number of EVs and AFVs on display at the Geneva Motor Show is evidence of this.

 

“Education is needed to help customers overcome their concerns about range, charging time and costs, and this sits with the Government and manufacturers alike.

 

“The Government should also steer its focus towards developing the infrastructure needed to meet the needs of rising demand, from charging points outside of the big cities to solutions for customers with on-street parking.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

According to Fleet News police have caught scores of dangerous drivers on the M1 using Highways England’s unmarked HGV ‘supercabs’ in a week-long operation.

 

The supercabs were used by six police forces and recorded almost 200 offences, including 57 drivers on mobile phones, 37 not wearing seatbelts and 26 who were driving carelessly or not in proper control of their vehicles.

 

Police officers filed 133 traffic offence reports – usually requiring drivers to attend a driver education course – and there were also five prosecutions for more serious offences.

 

Northamptonshire Police was one of the forces involved in the week of action. PC Dave Lee from the Safer Roads Team said: “Our main priority is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by clamping down on the fatal four offences, which are speeding, drink/drug driving, seatbelt and mobile phone use.

 

“Working with our partners on such operations enables us to take a strong and robust approach to identify road traffic offences.”

 

The number of incidents during the Highways England initiative, which took place from May 13-19, fell from 90 collisions during the previous week to 64 during the week of action.

 

Highways England’s traffic officers also joined forces with the emergency services to provide free tyre checks and safety tips to hundreds of drivers at motorway services along the M1.

 

Similar safety initiatives are now being planned for other motorways across England following the success of the M1 week of action.

 

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said: “We’ve been really impressed with the results of our week of action on the M1, which shows how making little changes to the way you drive can make a big difference to safety on our motorways.

 

“Our HGV supercabs helped the police identify almost 200 dangerous drivers who could have caused collisions if they hadn’t been pulled over, and our safety tips at motorway services and in the media also helped to make the M1 safer for everyone.

 

“As part of our current motorway driving campaign, we’re encouraging drivers to remember the basics of motorway driving to help keep us all moving so that the number of accidents continue to fall in the weeks and months ahead.”

 

The HGV supercabs, which are funded by Highways England, allow police officers to film evidence of unsafe driving behaviour by pulling up alongside vehicles, and drivers are then pulled over by police cars following a short distance behind.

 

They have derestricted speed limiters which mean they can travel at speeds up to the national speed limit, and flashing lights have been installed for use by police forces in an emergency.

 

Highways England told Fleet News earlier this year that the three unmarked HGVs had recorded more than 3,500 offences patrolling motorways and major A roads across England in the past year.

 

Police officers issued 462 penalty charge notices and filed 2,533 traffic offence reports – usually requiring drivers to attend a driver education course. There were also 73 prosecutions for more serious offences.

 

Tom Cotton, the Road Haulage Association’s head of licensing and infrastructure policy, said: “A minority of drivers think it’s okay to endanger other road users by taking unnecessary risks behind the wheel – it’s not. No phone call or text is so urgent that it can’t wait until the driver is safely parked.

 

“We’re pleased to see police and Highways England working together on initiatives to improve road safety.”

 

A new Highways England safety campaign is currently taking place highlighting the basics of motorway driving, including what to do if you break down, keeping left except when overtaking, and obeying red X and variable speed limit signs.

 

Red Xs are displayed on overhead electronic signs to close lanes for several reasons, including an accident or breakdown, debris in the carriageway, or because of a person or animal on the road. Lanes are also closed to help emergency services get through or to provide a safe space for road workers.

 

More details on the campaign are available at www.highwaysengland.co.uk/motorways. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.

A report released earlier this year resulted in the recall of a number of Jaguar and Landrover models after it was found that they emitted more CO2 than was recorded in the official certification.

 

At a time when the group is struggling financially the recall, whilst expensive, was nothing like the costs and fines that were imposed on the VW Group. Did someone play down the findings to give Jaguar a chance to instigate the recall?

 

Here’s the report from the BBC:

 

Jaguar Land Rover is recalling 44,000 cars in the UK over carbon dioxide emissions, the car maker has said.

 

Regulators found 10 models were emitting more of the greenhouse gas than they had been certified to emit.

 

The car maker will contact owners to arrange repairs, a JLR spokeswoman said.

 

JLR is facing a number of challenges at the moment, including a slump in demand for diesel cars and a sales slowdown in China.

 

The firm said it was a voluntary recall of certain 2016-2019 MY Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles fitted with two litre diesel or petrol engines.

 

The affected models are:

 

Some two-litre 2016 to 2018 Land Rover Discovery and Discovery Sport cars

Certain two litre Range Rover Evoque, Sport, and Velar cars

Jaguar E-Pace, F-Pace, F-Type, XE and XF cars.

Most models are petrol, while some are diesel.

 

Some of the models will need physical repairs in a dealership, while some will need software updates, the spokeswoman said.

 

“The modifications made to affected vehicles will be made free of charge and every effort will be made to minimise inconvenience to the customer during the short time required for the work to be carried out,” the firm added.

 

In January the firm confirmed it is cutting 4,500 jobs, with the substantial majority coming from its 40,000 strong UK workforce.

 

The firm has complained about uncertainty caused by Brexit.

 

Emissions have come under more scrutiny since Volkswagen’s diesel scandal.

 

Investors are pursuing the German car giant for about €9.2bn (£8.2bn) in damages, claiming the company should have come clean sooner about falsifying emissions data. By Graham Hill

We all like to think that we will be able to continue driving until we decide that we no longer wish to. But with people living longer due to massive improvements in health care being alive doesn’t mean that you are medically fit to still drive.

 

According to official statistics released earlier this year more elderly drivers have had their licences revoked than ever before.

 

Data shows the number of drivers aged 70 or older banned from driving on medical grounds has increased by nearly 150 per cent

 

The number of drivers aged 70 or older banned from driving for medical reasons has increased by nearly 150 per cent in the space of a decade, according to new data.

 

Almost 22,500 elderly motorists had their licences revoked on medical grounds in 2018, according to DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) figures obtained by the Times via a Freedom of Information request.

 

Drivers should have an eye test every decade, urge experts

 

The data shows 61,482 car and motorbike licences – for drivers of all ages – were revoked for medical reasons last year – an increase of 116.8 per cent since 2010.

 

Yet over the same period, the number of drivers aged 70 and over having their licences revoked on medical grounds shot up by 142 per cent, from 9,265 in 2010, to 22,453 in 2018.

 

Two-thirds of 70+year-olds currently hold a driving licence, up from 39 per cent in the mid-1990s. The issue of elderly drivers holding licences was thrown into sharp relief back in January, when Prince Philip’s Land Rover Freelander collided with a Kia near the Queen’s private home at Sandringham in Norfolk.

 

A spokesperson for road safety charity Brake told the Times that regulation around drivers’ fitness to drive should be “more rigorously enforced” via means such as compulsory eyesight tests.

 

AA president Edmund King echoed this sentiment, calling for evidence of regular eye tests for elderly drivers and stricter guidance from GPs.

 

Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, disagreed though and pointed out that older drivers are, on average, less likely to have an accident than younger drivers.

 

Meanwhile, the Department for Transport said the issue of older drivers would be addressed in a “refreshed road safety statement” later in the year.”

 

Thanks to Auto Express – By Graham Hill

Auto Express have carried out some surveys amongst their readers into satisfaction levels achieved by Insurance Companies and Breakdown Services.

 

The winner of the insurance top place was a surprise to me, is not available on the comparison sites but has won for the fourth time in a row. The top breakdown service was also a surprise to me but as the report shows it’s the 7^th year in a row for this one.

 

To see the full survey buy a copy of Auto Express or look it up online. The insurance survey asked 7 questions:

Ease of purchase (web & phone)

Telephone experience when making a claim

Keeping you informed when claim is being assessed

Speed to settle a claim

Friendliness and helpfulness during claim

Value for money

Overall satisfaction with claim process

 

The top 5 insurers were as follows:

1. The National Farmers Union Mutual (NFU Mutual) – available to everyone
2. RIAS (up 9 places)
3. Privilege (Part of Direct Line)
4. LV= (Formerly Liverpool Victoria)
5. Quote Me Happy.Com (Budget arm of Aviva)

 

I would add one to avoid – Zurich which didn’t even appear in the top 50. They refused a payout when I made a claim and it took two and a half years to finally get the Financial Ombudsman to find in my favour after an adjudicator had constantly told them to pay out – avoid like the plague!

 

Moving on to the top breakdown services. There are 190,000 breakdowns each year according to Highways England so seen as a must have for most motorists. Auto Express listed 25 top providers which you can see in the full report but for your information, I’ve shown the top 5. First of all the list of questions asked:

 

Ease of purchase

Keeping you informed

Speed of recovery

Ability to fix the fault

Friendliness and helpfulness

General presentation

Value for money

 

The top 5 breakdown services were as follows:

1. GEM Motoring Assist (7^th year in a row)
2. Green Flag (best at keeping customers informed)
3. LV= Britannia Rescue (LV owned Britannia carried out most roadside repairs)
4. AutoAid
5. AA (largest UK provider)

Just out of interest the RAC was next after the AA.

 

So there you have it – By Graham Hill

As we move towards the winter months when poor weather can lead to problems with grip it raises the question as to which end of the car should you fit the new tyres?

 

I addressed this problem earlier this year but it might be worth reminding you what was said at the time. You may think this is a daft question – simply replace the tyres that are worn – right?

 

Front tyres generally wear out quicker than rears if your car is front wheel drive and rears wear quicker if rear wheel drive, so wouldn’t it be correct to replace the tyres that wear fastest with the new boots? No!

 

Most safety experts ignore the wear element or whether the car is front, rear or all wheel drive and suggest that you always put freshest tyres on the rear of the car. This is because if the car loses grip in a corner, it will either oversteer or understeer.

 

Unless you are an F1 fan you may not understand what this means. Understeer is when the front tyres lose grip in a corner causing the front of the car to slide out whilst oversteer means you lose grip at the back of the car, causing the rear of the car to swing out.

 

It’s actually easier to control a car that is understeering than one that is oversteering – simply slowing down should help to regain grip if the car is understeering.

 

This is why it is important that you should maintain the greatest grip at the rear and fit your new tyres at the rear of the car. This will minimise the chance of potential oversteer and minimise the chance of a serious accident. Great advice eh! Graham Hill

Tyre technology is improving constantly with some tyres even able to generate electricity that can be used to re-charge the battery. But what about the important factors like fuel efficiency, grip and road noise?

 

Whilst a budget or mid-range brand may save you a few pounds do you know what you may be giving up in terms of safety or fuel-efficiency. Budget tyres seem to fare poorly in terms of road noise but do they? The tyre markings can tell you a lot.

 

My thanks to Tyre Shopper for their Guide to EU Tyre Labels:

 

All new tyres we supply for cars, vans and 4x4s come with EU Tyre Labels.

 

The labels, mandated in 2012, provide information to help buyers make an informed tyre choice. The labelling covers fuel efficiency, braking distance in wet road conditions, and exterior noise.

 

Tyres that don’t have the EU tyre labels include off-road, vintage, spare, studded, racing tyres and those with a speed limit of up to 80km/h.

 

Why do we need EU tyre labels?

 

EU tyre labels are designed to help drivers who regularly take motorway trips or travel long trips in different weather conditions, to know how well their tyres can handle poor road conditions.

 

What do EU tyre labels look like?

 

The tyre rating labels are shown in their respective sections below with more information each.

1 – Fuel Efficiency

 

Tyres have a fuel efficiency rating from A (most fuel-efficient) to G (least fuel efficient).

 

The better the fuel efficiency, the lower the cost of motoring and the less harmful Carbon Dioxide pumped into the atmosphere.

 

Choosing A-rated tyres over G-rated tyres equates to a 7.5% saving in fuel.

 

An A-rated tyre may use 80 litres less fuel each year (over £110) compared to when using G-rated tyres. This estimate is based on a petrol engine covering 10,000 miles at a cost of £1.40 for every litre of petrol.

 

Rolling resistance

Tyres indirectly use a fifth of their fuel consumption due to something called ‘rolling resistance’. This is the friction created when the tyres touch the road. Each tyre has a different amount of rolling resistance depending on its shape and composition. They use less fuel and cost less to own.

 

2 – Wet Grip & Braking Distances

 

Tyres struggle to grip the road to slow down in wet road conditions, so manufacturers change tyre patterns to improve braking times and reduce the chance of aquaplaning.

 

Tyres are rated for their combined wet grip and braking distance rating – how long it takes for the vehicle to come to a complete stop in wet road conditions.

 

All-weather tyres can be used when weather is poor for many weeks and we stock a range of these to suit many types of vehicles.

 

The EU tyre labels helps drivers choose the tyre with the shortest stopping distance.

 

Braking distance variation between each wet weather tyre rating from A to G, equates to 3-6 metres. The maximum benefit is 18 metres shorter braking distance based on driving at 50mph in wet road conditions when choosing A-rated tyres over G-rated ones.

 

3 – External Noises

 

External noise emissions measure the decibels (dB) created outside the vehicle when that tyre is used in normal driving conditions.

 

The tyre noise rating label displays either one, two or three audio waves, with the number of decibels shown as a number.

 

• One wave – three decibels or more under the current noise legislation.
• Two waves – an acceptable noise level for current and future noise legislation.
• Three waves – a tyre that will meet current noise mandated levels, but will fail future limits and need changing in the future.

 

Are the labels standardised across tyre brands?

 

Whether you’re looking at Michelin, Continental or other tyre brands, the label information can be compared side-by-side.

 

This includes the mid-range brands and budget brands. I remember the days when the now premium brand Hankook was a budget brand.

 

And whilst Nanking are a budget brand could they be going the same way as Hankook, they certainly don’t seem to be far behind when you check the labels.

 

One final thought. If you have a car on a lease or PCP and intend handing the car back at the end of the agreement check to see if they stipulate the tyres to be fitted when it comes to replacing them.

 

You don’t want to be forking out for more new tyres when handing the car back because you haven’t complied with the contract.

 

All cars must now be fitted with tyre pressure monitors but you shouldn’t simply rely upon the accuracy of the monitors and stop checking tyre pressures on a regular basis. Having improperly inflated tyres not only has safety and cost consequences you could end up with points and a fine.

 

It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that tyres are in proper condition and penalties for offences are very severe. The penalties for having illegal tyres are currently up to a £2500 fine and 3 penalty points PER TYRE. Two faulty tyres could cost six penalty points, loss of license and a £5000 fine!

 

Apart from the requirements regarding tyre wear, tread depth, damaged sidewalls, etc, the tyres must be correctly inflated. Regulation 27 section b states “the tyre is not so inflated as to make it fit for the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is put”. This definition is not very helpful, but correct tyre pressures are vital for safe handling and optimum braking, grip and tyre life.

 

Low tyre pressures

Cause increased fuel consumption, more air pollution, shorter tyre life and greater risk of tyre failure.

 

High tyre pressures

Cause reduced comfort, less grip, greater risk of impact tyre damage and reduced stability in braking and cornering.

 

By Graham Hill

Car batteries are nothing like they were when I first started driving. All cars, even the most basic, are reliant on batteries to power masses of equipment so they are very high duty these days but even new batteries don’t last forever.

 

It’s important to make sure that you don’t fit incorrect batteries which could leave you stranded so for many the solution is to use a main dealer to ensure that the correct battery is fitted. However, Auto Express has found some massive differences between dealers depending on where the dealer is located.

 

This is what Auto Express found:

 

Replacing a car’s battery is something that many buyers will face at some point. But how much does it cost on the UK’s most popular new cars? And are buyers getting a fair deal?

 

An Auto Express investigation can reveal that some car owners are being charged a staggering £1,250 for battery replacement, while others face bills as low as £98.

 

Auto Express compiled a list of the UK’s 20 best-selling vehicles and contacted three franchised dealer networks across the country to get a price for parts and labour. The only information dealers requested was the vehicle’s registration details.

 

Owners of the current-generation Mercedes C-Class are in for the biggest shock, because we were quoted a fee of £1,248 for a replacement battery. A second dealership quoted a price of £1,098.90 for the same job, while a third was charging only £315. To check this figure was not an anomaly, we contacted two more dealerships and again received quotes of £1,111.80 and £1,198.80.

 

A Mercedes spokesperson told Auto Express: “We believe the majority of retailers you contacted have quoted for a lithium-ion battery, and one quote may be for a 12v battery. We can only recommend a retail price for these parts, which means there could be a variation across retailers.”

 

By comparison, prices for a replacement battery on a comparable BMW 320i started from £296.98 and rose to £392.57.

 

The Vauxhall Mokka X was also a model that had a big disparity in price, with some dealers offering parts and labour for as little as £98.46, while two other dealers quoted £248.40 and £262.80. “We believe that the cost of the lowest-priced battery quoted to your researcher was based on a unit that was not of comparable quality to the other units for which quotes were received,” a Vauxhall spokesperson told us.

 

Volkswagen Tiguan owners also face quite a disparity in price for a battery replacement, ranging from £190.66 up to £320.66 – a difference of more than 68 per cent.

 

The fairest and most consistent pricing was to be found with the Toyota Yaris; all three franchised dealers quoted the same £105 fee for parts and labour.

 

Industry regulator Motor Codes told Auto Express that the results highlighted the importance of buyers shopping around if vehicle repairs are required. “When purchasing and/or having a replacement part fitted, such as a battery, we always advise motorists to shop around and to spend time doing their research.

 

As the retail price of batteries isn’t regulated, this means that the brands supplied and the cost to the consumer will vary between retailers for the recommended technical specifications advised by the vehicle manufacturer.”

 

Here are their findings

 

Car battery costs

Car	Dealership 1	Cost	Dealership 2	Cost	Dealership 3	Cost	Difference
Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost	Bridgend	£199	Nottingham	£208	Bristol	£186	11.28%
Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI SE Edition 5dr	Loughborough	£194	West London	£244	Swansea	£250	28.86%
Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost auto Style	Maidstone	£181	Gravesend	£218	Cambridge	£193	20.44%
Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 Design 5d	North London	£284	Bristol	£249	Manchester	£237	19.83%
Mercedes A-Class A 180 SE	Manchester	£322	Loughton	£444	Coventry	£377	37.88%
Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DiG-T Acenta	Nottingham	£129	Birmingham	£132	North London	£130	2.32%
Volkswagen Polo SE 1.0 TSI	Bristol	£234	Newport	£212	Ashford	£192	21.87%
Ford Kuga Titanium X 1.5 TDCi	Manchester	£206	Swindon	£202	Liverpool	£228	12.87%
Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi ISG 2	Solihull	£286	Leeds	£215	Cardiff	£309	43.72%
MINI Hatchback Cooper S Classic 3d	Liverpool	£357	Milton Keynes	£232	Coventry	£224	59.37%
Mercedes C-Class C 200 SE*	Central London	£1,248	Cambridge	£315	Harrogate	£1,098.80	296.44%
Vauxhall Mokka ecoTEC XDesign Nav 1.4i	Tonbridge	£248.40	Burnley	£98.46	Leeds	£262.80	166.91%
Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Design	Crawley	£135.00	Birmingham	£134.40	Carlisle	£136	1.19%
Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150 SE Nav	Maidstone	£190.66	Coventry	£320.66	South West London	£235.66	68.18%
Audi A3 Sportback 1.5 TFSI	Whetstone	£405.46	Leicester	£336.60	Harrogate	388	20.45%
Toyota Yaris 1.0 Icon Tech	Ashford	£105	Cheltenham	£105	Rotherham	£105	0%
BMW 1 Series 118i Sport	Essex	£332.57	Boston	£292.57	Newcastle	£271.27	22.59%
BMW 3 Series 320i SE	Eastleigh	£296.98	Coventry	£300.77	Doncaster	£392.57	32.18%
Hyundai Tucson 1.6 GDi SE Nav	Maidstone	£289.76	Bristol	£321.18	Sunderland	£298.38	10.84%
Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge	Crawley	£207	Chesterfield	£192	Glasgow	£193	7.80%

* Mercedes prices varied so widely that we obtained two extra quotes of £1,111.80 and £1,198.80 from other dealerships

 

Thanks to Auto Express – By Graham Hill

Up until Boris took possession of the keys to number 10, I like many believed that it would be impossible for us to leave the EU without a deal.

 

However, I’m now starting to believe that this is a serious option and might be out of our hands anyway because if we don’t negotiate a deal we leave without a deal whether we like it or not. It’s the law.

 

Even with a deal we will still be outside the EU so can’t take advantage of the free trade deals already in place between the EU and various countries around the world.

 

Let’s take South Korea where Kias and Hyundais are built. As part of the EU we are able to import their cars duty free but the minute we come out of the EU (unless we have a deal with a transition deal that includes current free trade agreements) we will have to pay 10% duty on top of the cost of the cars.

 

Whilst Kia and Hyundai are a South Korean group what about other manufacturers who build their cars in non-European countries? For example Mercedes build cars in Mexico with whom the EU has an agreement.

 

As import duty is applicable from the last country that touched the goods, even with a deal that includes Germany, as the cars may come from Mexico their cars will be 10% more expensive. In fact, Ford, GM, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Honda and VW all have manufacturing plants in Mexico.

 

Of course, we may be able to negotiate quick deals with all the countries with which we have free trade deals as part of the EU but the consensus is that this won’t happen. So at this point in time with so many unknowns my advice is don’t wait till after the end of October if you are toying with the idea of taking out a new lease.

 

As always – if you see a deal that you like don’t wait for a better deal as they may be gone forever after the end of October. By Graham Hill

Failure to wear a seatbelt could result in penalty points as well as a fine, under new road safety plans being considered by the Government.

 

The Government is considering issuing penalty points to drivers who fail to wear a seatbelt as part of a new road safety action plan aimed at reducing the number of deaths on the UK’s roads.

 

Despite the fact that, in 2017, 27 per cent of car deaths involved people who were not wearing a seatbelt, the punishment for committing the offence in England, Scotland and Wales is just a fine of £100, which can be increased to a maximum of £500 if the case goes to court.

 

Now, the Department for Transport (DfT) is considering introducing penalty points for such an offence, as part of a package of 74 potential actions to improve road safety in the UK. This follows a report from the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) calling for Great Britain to adopt the same rules as Northern Ireland, where drivers who don’t wear a seatbelt are handed three penalty points.

 

Another key area of focus in the DfT’s plan is rural roads, for which an advisory panel will be set up to look at how rural road safety can be boosted via the improvement of roads and traffic signs, as well as by tackling issues around speed limits and enforcement.

 

The DfT has broken down some of its other plans by which age groups they will affect. For children, a £225,000 grant has been given to Good Egg Safety to deliver a safety training programme for retailers to help parents correctly fit baby and child seats.

 

Research will also be commissioned into whether mobile phone use among young pedestrians leads to an increased risk of road collisions, as well as how children aged seven to 18 with special educational needs and cognitive disabilities can be taught to understand the dangers near roads.

 

For young adults, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is developing a behavioural change campaign designed to encourage learner drivers to broaden their experience by using more rural roads and driving at night before taking their test.

 

One in four people killed on road not wearing a seatbelt

 

There will also be research into the benefits of Graduated Driving Licences, while THINK! will continue campaigning against drink-driving, mobile phone use while driving, speedin and passenger distraction.

 

With adults in mind, the DfT will be looking at the feasibility of alcolocks, while a greater focus on roads policing will be spearheaded by a two-year project with the Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council to identify best practice and gaps in services to see how policing can be improved.

 

Finally, for older drivers, RoadSafe has been given £50,000 to deliver a digital platform to share best practice to reduce road safety risks for elderly road users.

 

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Today’s action plan is a key milestone in our road safety work and sets out the important steps we are taking to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.”

 

Steve Barrett, head of car insurance for Direct Line, commented: “Through better enforcement and greater public awareness, we can hopefully increase seat belt wearing rates and reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

 

David Davies, executive director of PACTS, added that it was “unusual to find a road safety measure with so much benefit and no downsides”.By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express